Clasp



R. IVI. WHITMAN.

Jan.. 23, 1923.,

CLASP.

FILED MAY 2. i922.

iRALPI-I M. WHITMAN, DF IIEHEAN` BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLASP.

' spenden@ `@maia y 2, 1922; serial NUL samer.

To all tolto/m, z5 may conce/kat.'

i aritizen ofthe United States of America,

erste ein'bodiinento'f the invention is fopen;

and resident @t `New Bedford, `in the county oli' Bristol and State ol? Massachusetts, have invented Anew and useful Improvements in Clasps7 ot which the tollowingis afspeciliy cationB y This invention reates vto clasps and is `aart'ioularly desifned to Asu J sort stocliines. t l 2:: l i o l socks and othei garments.

Qbjects ot theiinvention 'areto provides clasp of the characterdescribed w nch will present a smooth, nnobstruoted surtace on to be uncomfortableandso outthe overlying; garmehtbr unsightlyinanneigfwhich "wml` not te l 4sidi-21s so as not not to push "niente in an bothtlhe inner and tho outer distort the materialwhich it grips,

the opening' and closing` ot the lclaspf siinple and convenient.` to construct the `clasp oi few ,parts which get out of order and whicliinay be"cheaplyv manufactured and assenibled` and "to simplify andliinproyedevices ot' the class `williio't readily break or in general described. l p

:For the purpoeefol? illustration oneron shown in the accompanying "drawings, in which: Fig.` 1 isa side eleration;`

2 is `anend:elevationwilhtlic 'jaws gJB isa viewsiinilar to Fig. 2 with the i `jaws closed; g

"Fig l-fs a viewfpartly" perspective and partly in section onthe line L -1 of Fig. 3;

clasp constructed of any preferablya single ilat strip of lFig. 5 is a'plan viewbf the actuator.

y The embodiment ot the invention shown for the purpose of illustration comprises a suitable material Q metal bent upon itself to forni loop 6 by which the clasp niay be supported and shanlrs 7 and 8 terminating in opposed jaws 9 and 10. Jaws 9 andlO preferably have integral members 11 which serye to retain pads 12 thereon. Shanks 7 and 8, through a portion of their length7 have bent marginal. edges 'forming integral flanges 13, these flanges forming with `the Shanks 7 and 8 channels llt in which the inner and outer flanged portions of a block 15 is adapted to slide.

This actuator block or slide isshown in and in plan in Fig. 2. EX-

section in Fig.` Il

slid@ l5 in the space tending outwardly :trein 17` to provide `grasped by the iingers of the user ot the clasp in moving the jaws 9 and l0 to open and closed positions. i

Shank 8 is outwardly bowed or bent at. space :For the rolled or hunched end oi the material which is Igrasp'ed by the claspe such. as thetop oi' a stocking; To yieldinglyretain `the clasp in the closed position shown in 3, one of the Shanks. preferably shank 8, is provided with inwardly `disposed projection or bulge 18 which may be produced by indenting' the shank at the desired point. '.lhe upper end 8' ot shank 8 inc/lines outwardlyv from the main port ion olithe shank to perniit the clasp to open `niore widely when the slide: 15 is inovedto theV upper ends ot the el ranks.

The dispositioii ol the parts when the el asp is open is indicated in Fig. heinp; at the upper liinit ot its inoiv'einent. ln closing the clasp., the user grrasps the inojeetinp; kno or actuators 10 with his lingers and 'forces the slide downwardly. the slide mores downwardly the upper `and lower flange portions thereo'i bear upon flanges 13 and draw resilient shanlrs 7 and 55 toward each other. The downward morenielnt oi the slide l5 is continued until pro! jectioni snaps behind theblock and yieldA ingly holds it in` its downward position From Figi 2 it will be evident that the space between the lower ends oil. opposed langesil on Shanks and 8 indicated by the'vdotted line o', is Oreater than the space between pads on ja 9 and 1() which indicated by the dotted line h: Hence it will be apparent that when the clasp is closed as in Fig. 3 the resilient shanlrs .7 and 8 apply and maintain a considerable pressure upon pads 12 whereby the material grasped between the pads is securely held in place and the clasp maintains a 'Firm `grip thereon. The material `from which the clasp is constructedis preferably ot suoli resiliency7 that when slide 1,5 is drawn upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 jaws 9 and 10 will spring apart `to release the material pie yiously held thereby.

I claim:

1. A clasp havingdiverging Shanks, jaws' on the ends of said Shanks, guide means on the opposed faces of means cooperating with for forcing said ing` engagement.

2. .A clasp having diverging Shanks, jaws on the ends of said Shanks, guide means on the opposed faces of said Shanks, and a Slide movable longitudinally of the clasp between said Shanks, said slide acting upon Said guide means to draw said jaws together into clamping engagement.

3. A clasp having integral diverging Shanks, jaws on the free ends of Said Shanks, llanges on the opposed faces of said Shanks, and means cooperating with said flanges for drawing Said jaws together into clamping engagement.

4. A clasp having integral diverging Shanks, jaws on the free ends of Said Shanks, said Shanks having their marginal portions bent to form guide flanges, and a slide having portions extending under said guide flanges whereby when Said Slide is moved toward said jaws, the lat-ter will be drawn together into clamping engagement.

5. A clasp having diverging Shanks terminating in gripping jaws. and means including an actuator slide disposed entirely between the planes of the outer faces of said Shanks 'for opening and closing said jaws.

6. A clasp having diverging Shanks terminating in gripping' jaws, guides on the inner faces of Said Shanks, and a slide actuator having parts fitting in the guides of both said Shanks for opening and closing Said jaws.

7. A clasp having diverging Shanks terminating in gripping jaws, the marginal portions o'f Said Shanks being turned inwardly into parallel relation with the Shanks to form guide channels, a slide actuator having parts fitting into the guide channels of both said Shanks, and a handle on said actuator extending laterally between Said Shanks whereby the actuator may be moved to open or close said jaws.

8. A clasp having d ivergin g Shanks termi- Said Shanks, and Said guide means jaws together into clampnating in gripping jaws, the marginal portions of said Shanks being turned inwardly into parallel relation with the Shanks to torm guide channels, a Slide actuator having parts fitting into the guide channels of both Said Shanks, handles on said actuator extending laterally between said Shanks whereby the actuator may be moved to open or close said jaws, and stop means for said actuator.

9. A clasp having diverging Shanks terminating in gripping jaws. means including an actuator slide disposed entirely between said Shanks for opening and closing said jaws, and a handle on said Slide projecting laterally between said Shanks wherein' Said slide may be moved.

l0. A clasp having integral Shanks terminating in gripping jaws, means including a slide actuator disposed between said Shanks for moving said jaws into closed and open positions, one of said Shanks having an outward bulge adjacent its jaw to provide space for a rolled or hunched end ot the material gripped by the clasp.

l1. A clasp comprising a strip of sheet material bent upon itself to form a loop, diverging Shanks terminating in `rippingjaws, the marginal portions of said Shanks being inturned to form guide channels, an actuator slide having parts interfitting with the guide channels of both said Shanks whereby movement of said slide longitudinally of Said Shanks causes said jaws to advance toward or recede from each other for Q-ripping or releasing material therebetween. said slide being disposed between said Shanks, stop means for Said slide. and an integral bulge in. one ol said Shanks between its jaw and the closed position of said slide whereby Space is provided for the rolled over or hunched end of the material gripped by the clasp.

Signed by me at New this 29 day of April, 1922.

RALPH M. VVHTTMAN.

Bedford, lWass., 

